Authors: Kerstin Junge, Kari Hadjivassiliou. In 2006, EU member states set themselves an ambitious objective: to half the digital literacy gaps between ‘at risk groups’ and the average population by 2010. Having committed themselves to turning Europe into the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by the end of the decade, it became important to ensure that people were not going to be left behind and that employers have access to the skills driving the anticipated economic growth.

1. What are the EU and member states doing to address digital
literacy?
Kerstin Junge, Tavistock Institute
Kari Hadjivassiliou, Tavistock Institute
Summary
In 2006, EU member states set themselves an ambitious objective: to half the digital literacy
gaps between ‘at risk groups’ and the average population by 2010.1 Having committed
themselves to turning Europe into the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world
by the end of the decade, it became important to ensure that people were not going to be left
behind and that employers have access to the skills driving the anticipated economic growth.
To this end, the EU and the member states began to implement a comprehensive set of policies
aiming to increase the digital literacy levels among European people. By and large, the early
measures reflected a functional understanding of digital literacy which simply refers to a
person’s ability to use hardware and software effectively. Targeting predominantly population
groups that data suggest are particularly affected by digital illiteracy (the unemployed, the
disabled, women and older people), measures focuses on providing basic ICT skills and
ensuring that all pupils were digitally literate upon leaving school.
Increasingly, however, the discourse in the EU and the member states is moving towards an
understanding of digital literacy mostly simply described as ‘media literacy’. As such, it
encompasses a significant cognitive and evaluative dimension lacking from the functional
understanding. The most recent initiatives undertaken by the European Commission as part of
the recent i2010 programme are under this title, as well as in the member states, where media
literacy was initially used only by some countries in relation to ICT training at schools.
A more sophisticated understanding of digital literacy, however, requires more sophisticated
approaches to measuring success. One of the key challenges for the near future is therefore to
find indicators that are less broad-brush and more able to deal with the diverse subject and
implementation modes required to make digital literacy policies a success. It is only when we
gain a better understanding of what works and what does not that we can start to make inroads
into the persistent digital illiteracy in Europe today.
Key words: digital literacy, eSkills, research, eLearning, information society, i2010
1
Riga Ministerial declaration,
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/declaration_riga.pdf
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2. 1. Introduction
Last year, EU member states set themselves an ambitious objective: to half the digital literacy
gaps between ‘at risk groups’ and the average population by 2010.2 Having committed
themselves to turning Europe into the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world
by the end of the decade, it became important to ensure that people were not going to be left
behind and that employers have access to the skills driving the anticipated economic growth.
However, despite five years of digital literacy policies at EU and national level nearly 40 per
cent of people in the EU still do not have even basic ICT skills.
Against this background, this article explores what digital literacy policies have been developed
by the EU and the member states in the early 21st century and explores some basic conditions
that must be met if these are to be successful at present and in future. After clarifying what is
behind the basic concepts of digital literacy and eSkills and exploring the key drivers behind
digital literacy measures in Europe today, we explore key policies both at EU level and in the
member states before drawing some general conclusions.
2. Digital literacy versus eSkills: some clarifications
Before we embark on our discussion of initiatives undertaken by the EU and its member states
to address issues of digital literacy (and eSkills), it is important to surface the different meanings
which are currently attached to these terms and make explicit our understanding of them.
Even though ‘computer literacy’ or ‘digital literacy’ has been identified as a need since the
1960s [Martin and Grudziecki 2006, 250] there is currently no generally accepted definition or
use of these terms [Jones-Kavalier, 2006]. Digital literacy as a term is polysem: it is used
differently by different authors and audiences [Aviram and Eshet-Alkalai, 2006]. Moreover,
words like IT literacy, computer literacy, digital skills, eSkills or digital competence often
describe similar phenomena.
The ambiguity surrounding the concept of digital literacy seems largely due to two reasons. As
Aviram and Eshet-Alkalai point out [2006, p. 1], “the discourse on this important subject has
been practice-oriented, and lacks a sound integrative framework and theoretical foundation.”
Thus, even though neither the concept nor necessarily the terminology is new we are only now
beginning to conceptualise digital literacy in a way that reflects the complex processes that
underpin it. A second important reason is the rapidly changing and continuously evolving nature
of the digital media. Devices are becoming more sophisticated, content more extensive and the
creative possibilities of the new media for individuals and society are becoming more varied.
Whilst, therefore, until the mid-1980s digital literacy was understood essentially as having
specialised programming knowledge [Martin and Grudziecki 2006], in the age of Web 2.0 and
Web 3.0 there is now “awareness of the need for more critical, evaluative and reflective
approaches to using IT” [Martin 2006, 6]. What is therefore clear is that the new digital media
landscape therefore requires more sophisticated conceptualisations of digital literacy that
encapsulate the multi-dimensionality of competencies required when interacting with the digital
media in the 21st century.
Nevertheless, frequently digital literacy is still understood in a purely functional way
[Buckingham 2006] where it is conceptualised as “a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively
in a digital environment” [Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan, 2006, p. 9] or a “minimal set of skills
that will enable the user to operate effectively with software tools, or in performing basic
information retrieval tasks” [Buckingham, 2006, 3]. A variation of ‘digital skills’ in this context is
the term ‘online skills’ used, for instance, by Hargittai [2002, p. 2] to mean “the ability to
efficiently and effectively find information on the Web.” Overall, these definitions seem to be
pointing towards an understanding of digital literacy that encompasses a concrete (albeit not
closely specified) skills set, mainly relating to the effective operation of hardware and software.
2
Riga Ministerial declaration,
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/declaration_riga.pdf
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3. However, conceptualisations that focus more on the broader cognitive skills involved are
emerging. Some authors understand digital literacy as a “special kind of mindset that enables
users to perform intuitively in digital environments, and to easily and effectively access the wide
range of knowledge embedded in these environments“ [Aviram and Eshet-Alkalai, 2006, 1].
Others, such as Gilster, identify “critical thinking rather than technical competence as the core
skill of digital literacy” [Martin and Grudziecki 2006, 254]. Gilster “emphasises the critical
evolution of what is found on the Web, rather than the technical skills required to access it”
[Martin and Grudziecki 2006, 254].
Indeed, authors are increasingly beginning to articulate what the various dimensions of digital
literacy might be and incorporate these into a single concept. Aharon and Eshet-Alkalai [2006,
p. 1], for instance, explain that “digital literacy is usually conceived of as a combination of
technical-procedural, cognitive and emotional-social skills.” Technical-procedural skills are
needed to operate hardware and software and execute tasks such as handling files and editing
visuals. Cognitive skills are needed to use graphic interfaces or retrieve data from the Internet.
Emotional-social skills are needed to use chat rooms effectively. The OECD-ILO PISA project’s
definition succeeds in capturing some of this complexity: “ICT literacy is the interest, attitude
and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital technology and communication tools to
access, manage, integrate and evaluate information, construct new knowledge, and
communicate with others in order to participate effectively in society” [van Joolingen 2003].
These definitions signal an evolution in thinking about digital literacy which moves beyond
purely functional skills to the realisation the being digitally literate also means being able to
make sense of the digital world. Eshet-Alkalai’s [2004] theoretical framework for digital literacy
represents the thus for most sophisticated attempt at presenting a comprehensive and
systematised conceptualisation of digital literacy. It sees digital literacy encompassing five
types of literacy:
Photo-visual literacy, ie the ability to understand instructions and messages represented
visually in a digital environment);
Digital reproduction literacy, ie the ability to create a meaningful, authentic and creative
work or interpretation by integrating existing independent pieces of information;
Information literacy, ie the ability of consumers to evaluate information and use it wisely;
Branching literacy, ie the ability to construct knowledge from information that is
accessed in a non-linear, ‘unordered’ manner;
Socio-emotional literacy, ie the willingness to share data and knowledge with others, the
capability of information evaluation and abstract thinking and the ability to collaboratively
construct knowledge.
What this conceptualisation clearly indicates is that being ‘digitally literate’ encompasses much
more than simply being able to use a computer and find information on the Internet. Perhaps
more importantly than these basic functional abilities are cognitive, critical and social
capabilities. Indeed, what this understanding highlights is that it is only the combination of these
four elements that makes a digital user a ‘digital citizen’ – a person able to participate fully in the
digital society of the 21st century.3
Understanding digital literacy in this way also helps us distinguish it from the term eSkills. It
highlights that digital literacy is primarily about the ICT skills of the individual lay user. eSkills,
3
In fact, Eshet-Alkalai’s understanding of digital literacy in some ways encapsulates what –at least at EU level – is
a relatively recent and relatively subtle shift from using the term ‘digital literacy’ towards using the term ‘media
literacy’ reflecting not only the trend of merging different media but also the unique nature of digital
communication. Thus, for the European Commission, media literacy means “the ability to access, analyse and
evaluate the power of images, sounds and messages which we are now being confronted with on a daily basis and
are an important part of our contemporary culture, as well as to communicate competently in media available on a
personal basis. Media literacy relates to all media, including television and film, radio and recorded music, print
media, the Internet and other new digital communication technologies”
(http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/media_literacy/index_en.htm)
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4. by contrast, is the more generic term covering all possible user scenarios. Thus, according to
the European eSkills Forum [2004] eSkills cover three main categories:
ICT practitioner skills: the range of skills required by ICT professionals
ICT user skills: the capabilities needed by the individual for the effective us of ICT
systems and devices
eBusiness skills: the capabilities needed to exploit the business opportunities provided
by ICTs.
In this article, we will focus on ICT user skills only and will understand the term ‘digital literacy’
as defined by Eshet-Alkalai’s [2004].
3. What is the relevance of digital literacy in the 21st century?
There can be little doubt that digital literacy is still a ‘hot topic’ in the EU. Numerous initiatives
have been launched since the early 2000s with the aim of raising the levels of digital literacy
among the EU population. This section briefly outlines the broader policy context in which the
initiatives carried out by the EU and its 27 member states sit. It then progresses to explain why,
despite nearly a decade of interventions digital literacy is still an issue in the EU.
3.1 The key drivers behind digital literacy initiatives in the EU
Two key drivers motivate initiatives to tackle digital literacy in today’s Europe: the knowledge
economy and – increasingly - the aim to ensure equal participation by all people.
In 2000, EU member states committed themselves to turning the EU intoquot; the most competitive
and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth
with more and better jobs and greater social cohesionquot;4 by the end of the decade. ICTs are
awarded a key role in realising this vision: they are seen as central levers for allowing the EU to
capitalise on the economic and social opportunities opened up by the post-industrialised
Information Society. The reasons for this are essentially twofold. Numerous studies have shown
that ICTs can support economic growth and productivity gains.5 According to the European
Commission, “the ICT sector contributes to (…) around 45% of our productivity growth. Internet
or other computer networks sales represented 8.5 % of total enterprises' sales according to the
Community 2004 survey.”6 Further, ICTs are seen as a significant source of innovation, one of
the other key components of international competitiveness.
Secondlly, ICTs are increasingly seen as valuable tools to support people that are traditionally
regarded as disadvantaged groups (such as older people disabled people or people in remote
geographical locations) to participate in economic and social life.7 Assisted independent living,
personal emergency services or remote working are just some of the options that open up with
the help of ICTs. Beyond this, ICTs can also facilitate political and social participation, for
instance by bringing government services closer to their users through eGovernment or
facilitating political engagement through social networking technologies.
Neither of these visions, however, will become reality unless European people are digitally
literate in Eshet-Alkalai’s sense. Not only must they have the functional abilities allowing them
to operate computers and basic software packages, they must also know what to make of the
information they find online. As we will show in the section below, still to this date this cannot
be taken for granted.
4
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/knowledge_society/index_en.htm
5
Ecotec (2005) Preliminary analysis of the contribution of EU Information Society Policies and Programmese to
the Lisbon and Sustainable Development Agendas,
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/information_society/evaluation/data/pdf/studies/2005_lisbon_final.pdf
6
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/ict_and_lisbon/index_en.htm
7
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/declaration_riga.pdf
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5. 3.2 Lack of digital literacy: an ongoing challenge
Perhaps one of the more interesting findings of recent years is the fact that, despite almost a
decade of investments in initiatives aimed at improving both the access to computers and the
knowledge of how to use them, there is still a significant base of people in the EU who have no
basic ICT skills.
The figure below illustrates levels of digital illiteracy across Europe.8 It shows that in the EU on
average 36 per cent of people do not have basic Internet skills. Moreover, low digital literacy
levels are particularly evident among women and older people. In the case of older people, this
does not only refer to basic ICT literacy but also to their general ability to complete tasks and
the speed with which tasks are completed [Hargittai 2002].
Individuals without basic computer skills (2005)
100
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All Women (16 to 74) Older people of working age (55 to 64) Older people not working age (65-74)
Source: Eurostat (October 2007)
In addition to gender and age, some basic socio-economic factors also seem to influence a
person’s digital skills levels. As the figure below shows, the better a person’s education the
more likely they are to have more than just basic ICT skills. Across the EU, 60 per cent of
people with low formal education only have basic ICT skills, compared with 6 per cent of people
with high formal education. Further, a significant proportion of unemployed people in the EU
also tend to have no basic ICT skills.
These very simple figures therefore indicate that as Europe is undertaking concerted efforts to
realise a knowledge based society, it is at risk of perpetuating current exclusions.
8
This is defined as people who have not used a mouse to launch programs such as an Internet browser or word
processor.
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6. No basic digital skills: the relevance of educational background and
employment status (2005)
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Low formal education High formal education Unemployed
Source: Eurostat (October 2007)
4. What initiatives are the EU and member states implementing to address gaps in
digital literacy?
4.1 Initiatives by the EU
Against the background of the significant number of people with low digital literacy on the one
hand and the need to ensure that member states are able to exploit both the economic and the
social benefits of the Information Society, the EU since the early 2000s has launched a number
of important initiatives that aim to increase the level of digital literacy in the member states.
Overall, three key milestones frame EU initiatives on digital literacy: the Lisbon strategy, the
i2010 initiative and the 2006 Riga declaration.
Digital literacy policies in the EU were sparked by the commitment made by the EU member
states in 2000 to make Europe the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world
(the Lisbon Agenda), focusing, as it does, on ICTs as key drivers of future economic growth and
competitiveness in Europe. As part of this objective, member states committed themselves to a
number of broad objectives, including preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy
and society by better policies for the information society and R&D. They also set themselves
concrete goals, such as an employment rate of 70 per cent (60 per cent for women). When
progress towards the agreed goals proved slower than anticipated by the mid-2000s [European
Commission, 2004], the European Commission proposed to inject a new impetus to the
process. The revised Lisbon Agenda of 2004 contains three key goals9:
• Investment in networks and knowledge;
• Strengthening competitiveness in industry and services;
• Increasing labour market participation of older people.
With this clear commitment to ICT driven economic growth and innovation, it is only logical that
in the tail of the two Lisbon strategies came some important initiatives which directly aimed at
increasing the digital literacy of the European people. Most immediately, these were the
eEurope initiative (and its two Action Plans) and the eLearning Programme.
The 2002 eEurope initiative, followed by two eEurope Action Plans in 2002 and 2005 to
implement the initiative, had as one of its three high level objectives the aim to create a digitally
9
http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/lisbon-agenda/article-117510
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7. literate Europe. As a result, the eEurope Action Plans emphasised the importance of ICT
related training if EU citizens were to reap the benefits of the Information Society and fully
participate in it. An important objective of the eEurope 2002 Action Plan [European
Commission 2000] was therefore the investment in people and ICT skills, focusing in particular
on pupils with an action line on ‘European Youth into the Digital Age’. The Action Plan set
member states the objective that, by 2003, all pupils should be digitally literate by the time they
leave school. Digital literacy was also one of the specific priority areas of the eEurope 2005
Action Plan [European Commission 2002]. The Action Plan in particular mentioned the
unemployed and women returning to the labour market as target groups for skills measures and
encouraged member states to launch initiatives to this effect by 2003. Moreover, in this Action
Plan, eLearning became a priority and the Commission announced a specific eLearning
Programme to run from 2004-2006.
This eLearning Programme, adopted by the member states in 2003, also aimed at addressing
the issue of digital literacy as the first of its four strands. The aim here was to promote the
acquisition of new skills and knowledge that individuals need for personal and professional
development and for the active participation in an information-driven society. Actions in this
area related to the contribution of ICT to learning, particularly for people who, owing to their
geographical location, social situation or special needs, could not benefit from conventional
education and training. The aim was to identify good examples and build synergies between the
many national and European projects for these target groups. As a result of the eLearning
Programme, a number of projects aimed at promoting digital literacy among key target groups.
These included, for instance, immigrants10, the disabled11 and children. The eLearning
Programme has not been renewed as a sectoral programme, but its objectives have been
integrated into the Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013) .
In 2005 the European Commission launched its successor to the eEurope 2005 Action Plan.
‘i2010 – A European Information Society for growth and employment’ [European Commission
2005] is a five-year strategic framework closely aligned with the revised Lisbon Strategy and, as
such, focused on those parts of ICTs deemed vital to the overall objective of boosting
innovation and jobs. i2010 is therefore essentially a strategic response to the need identified by
the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy for a new IS strategy linked to the Lisbon growth and
jobs objectives.
i2010 captures the issue of digital literacy in two out of its three priorities. Priority 2 ‘to
strengthen investment in innovation and research in ICT’ deals with the issue of eSkills as a
factor influencing innovation and research in ICT. One of the manifestations of this priority is the
recent Commission Communication on eSkills for the 21st century [European Commission
2007] which sets out the main challenges and develops a long-term eSkills agenda for the EU.
The key five components of this agenda are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Key Components of the Long-Term e-Skills Agenda for the EU
Longer term cooperation Strengthening cooperation between public authorities and the private sector,
academia, unions and associations through the promotion of multi-
stakeholder partnerships and joint initiatives including monitoring supply and
demand, anticipating change, adapting curricula, attracting foreign students
and highly-skilled ICT workers and promoting ICT education on a long-term
basis
Human resources Ensuring sufficient public and private investment in human resources and e-
investment skills and appropriate financial support and fiscal incentives, in full respect of
State aid rules, as well as developing an e-competence framework and tools
facilitating mobility, transparency of qualifications, and promoting recognition
10
For instance, @lf@-bet@ - Le donne migranti verso le TIC attraverso le reti territoriali; XenoCLIPSe - Digital
Video Clips by ethnic minorities; eMigra - Promouvoir la culture numérique des immigrants
11
For instance, e-ability - eLearning and social inclusion for people with disability; DEA - Digital literacy open to
impairments; etc
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8. and credit transfer between formal, non-formal and industry ICT education
and certifications
Attractiveness Promoting science, maths, ICT, e-skills, job profiles, role models, and career
perspectives with a particular focus on young people, especially girls, and
providing parents, teachers and pupils, with an accurate understanding of
opportunities arising from an ICT education and an ICT career to counter the
alarming decline in young people’s interest for science and technology
careers in Europe
Employability and Developing digital literacy and e-competence actions tailored to the needs of
e-inclusion the workforce both in the public and the private sector, with a particular
emphasis on SMEs and also to the needs of the unemployed, elderly people,
people with low education levels, people with disabilities and marginalised
young people
Lifelong acquisition of e- Ensuring that workers can regularly update their e-skills and encouraging
skills better and more user-centric ICT-enhanced learning and training approaches
(e-learning). Government should promote good practices for the training of
employees using e-learning, with a particular emphasis on SMEs, and should
publicise successful solutions and business models
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ict/policy/ict-skills.htm
Priority 3 of the i2010 initiative aims “to foster inclusion, better public services and quality of life
through the use of ICT.” Digital literacy is mentioned here as one of the issues to be addressed.
European Commission activities currently include formulating a media literacy policy to
empower Europe's citizens in a world surrounded by multimedia messages, and wants to
encourage more women to pursue an IT career as a force for change and a major boost for the
ICT sector.
This priority also links in with the 2006 Ministerial Riga Declaration which recognises the
importance of digital literacy and, among others, calls for the digital literacy gaps between
groups particularly at risk of social and digital exclusion (such as the disabled, elderly,
unemployed, people with low education levels, immigrants etc) and the average population to
be halved by 2010. This is a reaction not only to the significant share of people in the EU today
who do not have even basic ICT skills but also to the fact that some population groups are less
likely than others to acquire these.
Since 2000, therefore, the EU has been setting the broad policy framework for digital skills
policies in the member states. Whilst in the first half of the decade the focus of attention
seemed to have been primarily on ensuring that all people have functional digital literacy skills,
we can now begin to observe an expanding scope of EU policies towards ‘media competence’
embedded in a more systematic framework for addressing eSkills in general. EU policies on
digital literacy and eSkills are consolidating.
4.2 Initiatives in the member states
National policies on digital literacy mirror EU polices to a large extent, both in terms of
motivation and focus [Cullen et al, 2007]. Reflecting agreements made at the EU level, they
tend to be embedded in a discourse of economic competitiveness and tend to focus on those
target groups highlighted in relevant EU documents. Within this broad context, national
measures aimed at improving digital literacy can be grouped under two broad headings:
addressing today’s ICT skills gaps and securing ICT skills for tomorrow.
4.2.1 Addressing today’s digital literacy gaps
National policies which address today’s digital literacy skills deficits are aimed at adults – both of
working age and beyond – who do not have sufficiently developed ICT knowledge to participate
in the information society, either economically or socially. While some countries have invested
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9. in general computer literacy programmes covering the whole population indiscriminately12, it is
more common that activities are tailored to specific target groups, in particular, older people,
women and people with disabilities.
Such specific digital literacy schemes fall into three broad categories:
Introductory sessions to the Internet. One example for this is the Spanish ‘Everybody
Online’ Programme (Todos en Internet) which provides 45-minute introductory sessions
on the use of the Internet in particular for older people or women and makes available
case studies and testimonials of people who developed their digital literacy skills and
had their lives changed by this.
Training programmes for basic ICT literacy. These aim at providing women, older
people, the disabled and occasionally ethnic minorities with basic ICT skills. The
Maltese myWeb programme, for instance, announced (free) ICT training for a range of
other target groups, including women and older people.13 The Cybersoek centre in
Amsterdam offers programmes, courses and coaching to improve digital skills, targeting
specifically different ethnic minority groups and tailoring their offer to particular
demographics, for instance women, elderly, children, people with no digital skills or
more advanced digital skills. Occasionally, ICT training activities are implemented in an
innovative way. For instance, a number of projects in the Member States promote inter-
generational learning: ICT training for older people is delivered by young people in
community centres.
ICT training for the purpose of labour market integration. Frequently, the provision of
ICT training has the wider objective of helping participants into the labour market. Thus,
several Member States run national ICT training programmes especially for the
unemployed. At a project level, the Latvian EQUAL project ‘Training in Computer and
internet Usage of Unemployed’, aims to help the unemployed overcome digital
exclusion and to motivate this group to join the labour market and lead more active
social lives. To this end, the project has developed a validated training course for
computer and Internet skills. This has been piloted with unemployed people in the cities
and rural areas of Kraslava, Preili, Valmiera and Ventspils districts. After completing
these ICT courses, the unemployed will be able to use computers and Internet
resources for job searching, independent work on developing basic skills required for
the labour market, writing CVs and covering letters, and using e-services.
4.2.2 Securing digital literacy for tomorrow: building digital capacity among children and
young people
In addition to addressing the digital literacy gaps amongst key demographics of working age,
digital literacy measures in the member states also tend to focus on children and thus ensure
that basic ICT skills are present in the workforce of tomorrow. The UK government even made
eSkills one of the three life skills (along with literacy and numeracy). Thus, whilst young people
in the EU tend to be most highly digitally literate, the importance attributed to ensuring children
and young people are ICT literate reflects the goal of European countries to become
knowledge-based economies and the realisation that this requires a (future) workforce able to
use – and develop – respective skills.
National policies aiming at building digital skills among children and young people have five
main aspects:
• Raising the general level of ICT literacy by including digital skills into school curricula
and that of other educational institutions. For instance, the Belgian ‘national plan to
combat the digital divide’ foresees that schools and national VET programmes are to
12
This includes, for instance, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Luxembourg Internet for All
[Internet pour Tous] initiative, for instance, includes training paths for everybody (the so-called
'Internetführerschäin' or Internet driving license) which intend to introduce ICT-newcomers to the use of a PC (4
classes lasting 2 hours each) and to the basic functions of the Internet (3 classes lasting 2 hours each). The
Programme also contains measures to train ICT trainers.
13
This includes, for instance, offenders and drug addicts.
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10. integrate specific curricula for digital literacy and eSkills. Occasionally, this can also
involve preparing students or teachers for the ECDL (for instance under the Austrian
eFit strategy). In some countries, this training extends beyond ICT skills to include a
broader ‘media competence’ training. This normally aims at giving pupils the confidence
to navigate the web safely and tends to include issues such as security. “Mature and
effective use” of ICTs is, for instance, an objective of the Portuguese ‘Ligar Portugal’
programme.
• Using ICTs as pedagogical tools. ICTs are frequently seen as pedagogical tools to
supplement and expand conventional teaching methods. This is shown by the effort
many Member States put into the production of e-learning material, the development of
didactical guidelines on how to use the material in class. In the UK ICTs are also seen
as providing opportunities for engaging ‘hard to reach learners’. This is spelled out in the
e-strategy where ICTs are seen as offering the opportunity for more personalised course
delivered at greater flexibility (for instance in terms of location and time of study). An
innovative example of e-learning content development comes from the UK where the
national TV broadcasting company BBC has developed e-learning instruments to
accompany the national curriculum.
• At the same time, ICTs are also being used to help young people towards raising
achievements and further qualifications. The UK e-strategy, for instance, announces
that, for those not sure whether they are interested in further study, there will be online
access to informal tasters, linked to leisure or domestic activities, enabling students to
progress to the next stage by means of highly motivating short modules. The German
programme ‘Strengthening competencies – vocational qualifications for disadvantaged
people’ funds projects that uses e-Learning to help disadvantaged young people gain a
vocational qualification. The UK e-Learning and mobility project (E-LAMP) sets out to
give traveller children laptops and access to the Internet through GPRS datacards so
that they can keep in contact with their school and teachers, get their work marked and
stay in touch with their peers. Children are also encouraged to make use of CD-ROMs,
recommended websites and other electronic resources to enhance their learning.
• ICT training for teachers. Measures to improve ICT skills frequently go beyond young
people to also include teachers. In Lithuania, for instance, a Teachers’ Computer Driving
License standard (based on the European Computer Driving License Programme) was
developed which defines the minimum level of ICT literacy needed by teachers to use
ICTs in class (e.g. teaching software, Internet services, video materials) and research.
It is an integral part of the teacher’s training and continuing professional development.
The UK’s e-strategy also foresees improving the ICT skills of teachers as does the
Austrian eFit Strategy. The Finnish Opinpolku project networks teachers of vocational
education not only to train them in the use of e-learning tools, but also equips them to
jointly develop material for shared use.
• Combining skills training with promoting ICT careers. Member States also make an
effort to interest children and young people in ICT in careers or science and technology
in general. The focus is not only on promoting digital literacy underpinned by basic ICT
user skills but also on increasing the awareness and attractiveness of a career in the
ICT sector among young people. Depending on the country, the methods employed
differ. In Portugal, this is about creating better training opportunities for young people in
general. A number of other countries have made concerted efforts to attract young girls
to the ICT sector in order to address the gender divide that currently exists. In Germany,
for instance, the Initiative D21, a public private partnership which aims to improve the
environment for a successful move into the information and knowledge society in
Germany, runs an annual ‘girls’ day’. This is an open day when high-tech companies,
universities and other research organisations invite girls aged 11 to 16 at school age
onto their premises in order to give them an insight into careers that they may not have
considered previously.
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11. 4.2.3 What makes a successful digital literacy measure?
Member states are therefore implementing a wide range of digital literacy measures aimed at
an increasingly diverse audience. However, not all are equally well designed and successful.
Indeed, we would argue that unless measures are grounded in the social and economic
realities of the individual and the locality, improving skills is more a ‘tinkering with symptoms’ of
digital exclusion (and economic inactivity) rather than addressing its root causes. Two
examples illustrate particularly well how important for the success of an initiative it is to pay
attention to context.
In Britain, the Computer Clubs for Girls project (www.cc4g.net), run now at 3,500 schools with a
participation of 52,000 pupils, aims not only at improving girls’ ICT skills but also to interest
them in careers in ICT. The computer clubs aim to get girls interested in careers in technology
and equip them with ICT skills relevant for jobs in all sectors, but do this in a way that is relevant
to them – through music, fashion and design. The clubs are run voluntarily by schools outside
school hours. Girls aged between 10 and 14 enjoy a range of tailored e-learning activities
which are written specifically to interest and motivate them. Initial anecdotal evidence suggests
that this strategy is successful. Schools are reporting that girls in CC4G are out-performing non-
members - not only in ICT, but also in other curriculum areas such as English, Maths and
Science [www.cc4g.net].
A slightly different approach in terms of linking initiatives to the local context is taken by the
Digital Playgrounds projects in the Netherlands. In community-based Internet and computer
centres, ethnic minorities are being trained in ICT skills in different groups differentiated by age,
gender and ICT skills. Available in many large cities, the projects do not stop at simply
enhancing immigrants’ ICT skills but in addition have a socialisation function. They are
integrated in the neighbourhood where people gather to connect with and learn from each
other.
At the same time it is clear that without an appropriate delivery mode – be this participating
organisations or technologies chosen –digital literacy measure are unlikely to be able to perform
to the best their ability. Two examples where this has been achieved serve to illustrate this
point.
An integral part of the British CC4G project is employer involvement. “An important component
part of CC4G is creating lasting connections between employers and schools through CC4G
Clubs, to ensure that the skills needs of industry are met and that girls understand the career
opportunities open to them.” A number of companies, including several large multinationals,
have committed themselves to working with the clubs, thus creating conditions for improved
employment perspectives among participating girls. By engaging employers, the Computer
Clubs for Girls initiative is a good example for an effective us of PPPs where each partner
contributes according to their own expertise, thereby creating synergies and benefits that would
not have come about without this partnership approach.14
The second example to be cited here refers to an appropriate choice of technology in a German
eLearning project targeting illiterate people. www.ich-will-schreiben-lernen.de is an e-learning
portal for adults who have difficulties with reading and writing. Upon logging in, the visitor is
assigned a virtual tutor who guides him or her through the site. Having completed an
assessment to determine the learner’s level of literacy, the site automatically assembles a set of
suitable exercises which the learner can complete online. The site also contains an
entertainment section with longer texts, audio books and news as well as a diary function and a
forum to meet other learners. This example shows the power of tailoring the content of
eInclusion initiatives to the needs of the target groups. In this case, the use of symbols, audio
14
It is, however, also clear that the understanding of where PPPs are most appropriately used seems to differ from
country to country. In France, for instance, they are predominantly used for promotion campaigns, whereas in
Finland PPPs are used for the delivery of eInclusion measures.
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12. and online tutors (represented with a photograph) helps users of this website navigate and use
it as a learning tool.
5. Conclusions and some remaining challenges
“Media literacy is as central to active and full citizenship as literacy was at the beginning
of the 19th century.”
Vivian Reding, Information Society and Media Commissioner (2006) 15
Decisions made at European level have had a paramount impact on framing digital literacy
policies in the EU member states in the first decade of the 21st century. Against the background
of ambitious aims to fully exploit the potential benefits of the knowledge economy, the EU and
its member states have in the last years worked more or less in synch to support people
improving their digital skills. In the process of implementing these various measures introduced
in the last years, the conceptualisation of digital literacy changed from a purely functional
understanding to the recent discourse of ‘media literary’ (see quote above). This wider focus
including cognitive and evaluative skills can only be welcomed as it is likely to result in more
holistic policies.
However, this will bring with itself a new set of challenges. We will, for instance, need more
sophisticated indicators to measure digital literacy achievements. Current indicators seem
poorly equipped to handle a concept like ‘media literacy, let alone the finesse of Eshet-Alkalai’s
multi-dimensional interpretation of digital literacy. As digital literacy initiatives are becoming
more sophisticated (as basic needs are met) it is exactly granular knowledge we need in order
to ensure that policies remain fit for purpose and are impactful.
Moreover, as we begin to understand digital literacy more broadly the question will also become
more urgent how we deal with digital demotivation. Addressing the ‘won’t’ as well as the ‘can’t’
will become increasingly important if self-exclusion from the information society is to be
avoided. The question of how far a wider understanding of digital literacy in the sense of media
competence can and should also include issues of trust and relevance literacy policies is
therefore how far they can also address issues of trust and relevance – both conventionally
regarded as important factors for the take-up of new technologies – will therefore need to be
addressed.
In the years to come, it will be paramount for politicians and practitioners across the EU to
begin tackle these challenges if real progress is to be made and the full participation of all
members of society in the knowledge economy is to be secured.
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14. Authors
Kerstin Junge
Researcher and Consultant
Tavistock Institute
k.junge@tavinstitute.org
Kari Hadjivassiliou
Senior Researcher and Consultant
Tavistock Institute
k.hadjivassiliou@tavinstitute.org
Citation instruction
Junge, Kerstin & Hadjivassiliou, Kari (2007). What are the EU and member states doing to
address digital literacy? eLearning Papers, no. 6. ISSN 1887-1542.
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